Easy Steps to Securing Your Mobile Device

Written by Jodi Parker | April 5, 2014 | 10:57 pm

In light of the recent celebrity, nude-photo hackings, the internet has been buzzing with talk of security, privacy, and the “actual function of the cloud.” The kind of invasion these female celebrities experienced wasn’t their fault. Truly, this kind of crime is never the fault of the victim.

Still, it’s important to know what information is being stored where. How do you keep your mobile device safe from predators?

Who Does Hacking Actually Affect?

Pew Research estimates that 58% of American adults own a smartphone, and 90% own a cell phone! This isn’t just a question posed at the privileged, but the average American adult. Furthermore, 42% of adults own a tablet computer, and 32% own an e-reader. Are you safe?

Read on to find ways you can keep your personal photos, texts, and identity secure.

Passwords are Crucial

It may sound obvious, but it’s vital that you password protect everything! Also, resist the temptation to use the exact same passwords for everything. This leaves your information much more susceptible to attacks! Use a complex combination of both letters and numbers, and avoid obvious keywords that a potential hacker could guess.

Manage Apps

Be sure to research consumer reviews of apps before you purchase or download. Also, manage the kind of information your app can access. There’s really no reason a time-killing game should have access to sensitive information like photos, personal finance, and email.

The Cloud!

If you don’t want to backup all your information, be sure that your settings are adjusted accordingly. Here’s a simple article explaining how to manage your photos and iphone or ipad.

An Ongoing Debate

Recently, Apple announced more aggressive initiatives to make consumer privacy a priority. In the words of CEO Tim Cook, “We don’t build a profile based on your email content or web browsing habits to sell to advertisers. We don’t “monetize” the information you store on your iPhone or in iCloud. And we don’t read your email or your messages to get information to market to you.”

Google and Facebook have both taken a lot of heat over their willingness to provide advertisers with client information. Furthermore, Edward Snowden’s whistleblowing paired with Glenn Greenwald and colleagues’ journalism revealed the NSA’s collection of metadata.

Though it Cook’s press release may seem innocuous, his privacy “manifesto” is a clear detraction, and the CEO is making a bold statement: Apple will prioritize consumer privacy despite the pressure of government and marketers.

There is a good chance consumers will respond to this respect, and that the push for privacy will force other companies to follow suit. In order to remain competitive, user protection might be the only option!

Consumers, Weigh in With Your Thoughts.

So what do you think, phone users? What steps do you routinely take to protect your personal information? Would you pay a higher price for services if it meant protected information and peace of mind? Leave your two-cents in the comments section below.